Beverage faucet and adjustable flow restrictor



Feb. 15, 1949.- 5. J. M C LURE BEVERAGE FAUCET AND ADJUSTABLE FLOW RESTRICTOR Filed March 15, 1944 Inventor Patented Feb. 1949 UNETED STATES PATENT omen BEVERAGEFAUCET ANDaADJUSTABL-lil FLOW'RESTRECTQR 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to new'and useful improvements in beverage dispensers, particularly for beer, and has for its primary object toprovide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character in the form of a complete, portable, self-contained unit which is adapted to be delivered from the brewery ready to dispense beer.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the aforementioned character which embodies novel means for refrigerating the beverage and maintaining same at the desired temperature over a long period of time.

Still. another important object of the invention is to provide a dispensing unit of the character set forth comprising a faucet including unique means for controlling the discharge of the beverage and, in the case of beer, regulating the foam thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a portable beverage dispensing unit of the char-. acter described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, light in weight, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

. All of the foregoing, and still further objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the faucet.

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section through the forward end portion of the faucet, taken substantially on the line l2l'2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, ShOWiIlg the detachable connection of the faucet to the check valve.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a detail of construction.

Specific reference will now be made to the drawings. In the several views, similar'reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Mounted vertically in a beverage container (not shown) is a dispensing tube, pipe or rod,20 which extends downwardly into said barrel through the top thereof. A check valve 21 is mounted horizontally on the upper end of the tube, pipe or rod 29. The valve 2! .includes a substantially tubular casing 31 having formed therein. at an intermediate point a threadedopening,- 38 whereby said casing may be screwed horizontally on the-upper endportlonpfthe tube, pipeprrodifl; The casing?! includesa-reduced end portion 39. -A-removable screw-plug .49 ,closes the othen-endof the casing, 31. l? ormed.inthe casing 3;? is a seat. 4!. Aballyalve lz is engageable with the seat. 4|. The ball valvemember 42 is-mounted on.one end of a coil spring.. l3..which, in turn, is mounted on the screw plug. 49. {Projecting from .thescrew .plug 49 is a guide pin. for ,the .coil spring .43 .and the ball ,valve member 42. Of course,'the spring. 43.closes the ball valve member-".42.. Pins projectirom the reduced portion 39 .of the casing, .31, the purpose of which pins .will be presently set forth.

The front of .thebeverage,containerhas formed therein an openingwhich accommodates a removable faucet which is designated generally by reference character 30. ,As illustrated -to ,advantage-inv Figure 1 of-the drawings, the faucet 39 includesia barrell'lpf suitablematerialhaving "formed integrally therewith .a depending spout 48, said barrel being open at-its ends. 'Adiacent one. end, the barrel 4'! has formed therein a seat 49. Removablymounted on thisend-of the barrel is a tubular .shank3l. A .coupling5;9 connects the membe rs,,4'l ;and 3 I. The bore of the tubular shank .3 I is tapered in a manner to provide a seat, 5i ortapered control spaceonpassage-.in-connection .with a tapered valve or .re-

strictor ,Gl tobe later described. coupling 32' ismounted on one endportion of the shank 3| and projects longitudinallytherefrom. The coupling 32 ,hasformed inone end portion cam slots 33 which receive .the pins 45 .for detachably connecting thefaucettil to the casing 3'! of the-.valve 2 I. Also,mounted on-thisend of the shank 3| is a substantially .U-shaped wire finger 52 which is insertible in thereduced portion 39 ofthe casing 3'! for engaging and unseating the .ball valve member ,42. against thetenslon of the coilspring 43 whenthe faucet Bil-isoonnected to-the member 2|.

The faucet 39 further includes a piston 53 which is mounted forreciprocation inithe bore 54 of .the ba-rrelt'i. Extending longitudinally into the piston 53 from the forward endthereof is a slot 55 providing bifurcations ,56. A vertical opening. 5'!- in ,-the piston -;53 communicates with the slot.. 55. Projectinglongituclinally fromthe rear endofthe piston 53 is a tubularstem-li-S. A valve member 59. isprovidecl-on the stem 58;;for engagement; with the seat 49.

A metallic. rod 60, extends slidably, through the tubmar.s z fltin o-theslot 55 in the piston .53

Fixed on the rod 60 and operable in the shank 3| is a tapered valve member or restrictor 6|. The valve or restrictor 6| is cooperable with the tapered seat or bore of the shank 3| for controlling or regulating the foam of the beer. Fixed on the other end portion of the rod 60 for operation in the slot 55 is a substantially rectangular frame 62 (see Fig. 2) comprising, on one of its longitudinal sides, a rack bar 63. The frame 62 fits tightly between the bifurcations 56 and is frictionally retained in longitudinally adjusted position thereby.

An operating lever in the form of a handle 64 is mounted for swinging and rotary movement on the forward end portion of the barrel 47. Toward this end, the handle 54 is provided, on its lower end, with a ball 65 which is journaled in a socket structure 66 which is provided therefor on the barrel 41. Fixed beneath the ball 65 is a substantially spherical pinion gear 61 which is engaged with the rack bar 63 in the frame 62 and which the opening 51 in the piston 53 accommodates. Thus, the piston 53 is frictionally connected to the handle 64 for reciprocation thereby for opening and closing the valve member 59.

In practical operation, the faucet is inserted in the begerage container for connection to the check valve 2|. The coil spring 43 engages the ball valve member 42 on the seat 4| for preventing the discharge of beverage through the faucet 36. The coupling 32 is slipped on the reduced portion 39 of the casin 31 and, with the pins 45 engaged in the cam slots 33, the faucet 30 is turned. Thus, the shank 3| is drawn tightly against the opposed end of the casing 3! and the finger 52 engages and unseats the ball valve member 42. A gasket 68 in the coupling 32 prevents leakage between the members 39 and 3|. A substantially similar gasket 69 is provided between the members 3| and 41. When the pins 45 engage the closed ends of the cam slots 33, the spout 48 extends downwardly from the barrel 41.

To dispense the beer, the handle 64 is swung forwardly for disengaging the valve member 59 from the seat 49, thus opening the faucet 39. When this occurs, the valve 6| moves toward the tapered bore or seat 5| but does not contact the same. The rod 66 supports the valve or restrictor 6| in the shank 3| in spaced, concentric relation to the tapered bore or seat 5| at all times when the faucet is in position, but is closed against the seat when the faucet is removed, or until the faucet is attached. To close the faucet 30, the handle 64 is, of course, swung in the opposite direction for again engaging the valve member 59 with the seat 49. As hereinbefore mentioned, the valve or restricter 6|, in conjunction with the tapered bore or seat 5|, controls or regulates the foam of the beer. To adjust the valve 6|, the handle 64 is rotated on the barrel 41. In this manner the rack bar 63 is actuated longitudinally in the slot 55 between the bifurcations 56 of the piston 53 for moving the valve or restricter 6| longitudinally in the shank 3|' or, stated otherwise, toward or away from the seat 5|. The spherical shape of the pinion permits it to mesh with the rack regardless of the angular position of handle 64.

It is believed that the many advantages of a beverage dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A beverage dispenser comprising a faucet including a barrel, a spout on the barrel, a seat in said barrel, a tubular shank mounted on the barrel, a tapered bore in said shank, a valve member in the barrel engageable with the first-named seat, a tapered restrictor member operable in the shank and cooperating with the tapered bore to restrict the space between the bore and the restrictor member, and common means on the barrel for simultaneously moving the valve member away from the seat and the tapered restrictor member toward the tapered bore, and for adjusting said tapered restrictor member toward or away from said tapered bore independently of said valve member.

2. A beverage dispenser comprising a faucet including a barrel, a tubular shank mounted on said barrel and having a tapered bore, a piston mounted for reciprocation in the barrel, a valve mounted on said piston, a rack bar mounted for longitudinal sliding adjustment in the piston, said rack bar being frictionally engaged with said piston for retention in adjusted position, a tapered restrictor connected to the rack bar and operable in the shank to regulate the space between the tapered restrictor and the tapered bore, a handle pivotally and rotatably mounted on the barrel, and a gear on the handle engaged with the rack bar for connecting the valve and restrictor to the handle for simultaneous actuation thereby upon swingin movement of said handle, and for adjusting the tapered restrictor in the shank independently of the valve on the piston upon rotation of the handle.

3. A beverage dispenser comprising a faucet including a barrel, a tubular shank mounted on said barrel, opposed seats in the barrel and shank, a piston mounted for reciprocation in the barrel, a stem projecting longitudinally from one end of the piston, a valve on said stem engageable with the barrel seat, the piston having a longitudinal slot therein, a frictionally retained rack bar mounted for sliding adjustment in the slot, a rod connected to the rack bar and extendin slidably through the stem and the valve, a valve on said rod movable toward and away from the shank seat, a lever pivotally and rotatably mounted on the barrel, and a spheroid gear on the pivoted end of the handle engaged with the rack bar for connecting the valves to said handle for simultaneous actuation thereby, said gear further constituting means for connecting the shank valve to the handle for adjustment thereby independently of the first-named valve upon rotation of said handle.

4. A beverage dispenser including a barrel, a spout on the barrel, a seat in said barrel, a tubular shank mounted on the barrel, a tapered bore in said shank, a valve member in the barrel engageable with the first-named seat, a tapered restrictor operable in the shank and cooperating with the tapered bore to restrict the space between the bore and restrictor, and operating means on the barrel rotatably and pivotally mounted to seat and unseat the valve by pivotal movement thereof, said operating member being operatively connected to the valve and to the restrictor,'to operate the latter by rotation thereof to adjust the restrictor toward and away from the tapered bore independently of the valve.

, 5. A beverage dispenser comprising a barrel, a tubular shank on said barrel having a tapered bore, a piston mounted for reciprocation in the barrel, a valve mounted on said piston, a tapered restrictor cooperating with the tapered bore, a handle pivotally and rotatably mounted on the barrel and operatively connected to the valve to seat and unseat the same by pivotal movement of the handle and operatively connected to the tapered restrictor to regulate the space between the same and the tapered bore by rotation of the handle and adapted to be actuated simultaneously or independently to regulate the discharge into the shank and from the valve.

6. A, beverage dispenser comprising a faucet, said faucet including a valve member, a tubular shank on the faucet having a tapered bore, a tapered restrictor operable in the shank and cooperating with said bore, and common means on the faucet for slidably actuating the valve members in unison by movement in one direction and for adjustin the tapered restrictor in the tapered bore independently of the valve member by movement in another direction.

7. A beverage dispenser comprising a faucet, said faucet including a valve member, a tubular shank on the faucet having a tapered bore, a

tapered valve member operable in the shank and cooperating with said bore to form a restricted passage therethrough, and an operating handle 6 on the faucet having operative connection with each of said valve members to open the firstnamed valve member by swinging movement thereof and to adjust the second-named valve member with respect to the tapered bore by rotation thereof, independently of the first-named valve member.

STANLEY J. McCLURE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

